---
meta_title: "Is Fireflies AI Safe? The No BS Truth"
meta_description: "Thinking about using Fireflies AI? We dug into their data collection practices and found some red flags you should know about."
author: "John Jeong"
created: "2025-09-23"
published: true
coverImage: "/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/cover.png"
---

You're in a Zoom call when suddenly "Fred from Fireflies" joins the meeting. That little bot starts recording everything you say, transcribing your conversation, and promising to send you a nice summary afterward.

It's incredibly convenient. Until you start wondering: where do all those recordings actually go? And what exactly is Fireflies doing with them?

We decided to find out.

## What Is Fireflies AI?

<Image src="/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/fireflies-1.webp" alt="Fireflies" />

Fireflies AI is a cloud-based service that automatically joins your video calls as a bot participant. It records everything, transcribes the conversation, and uses AI to create summaries and insights. The bot integrates with popular platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

Sounds helpful, but there's a catch - everything gets processed on Fireflies' servers, not your device. Your conversations become their data.

## What does Fireflies actually do with your data?

I went through their privacy policy and terms of service so you don't have to and here's what I found.

### 1. They're collecting everything about you

**Your meetings and more:**
- Complete audio recordings of every conversation
- Full transcripts and meeting summaries
- Your calendar data and scheduling details
- Information about everyone who attended

**Your personal details:**
- Name, company, email, home address, phone number
- Account passwords and login information
- Payment and billing data

**Your digital footprint:**
- Your exact location (yes, really)
- Your device IDs and MAC address
- What you search for and click on
- Your network information and browsing habits

**Access to your other accounts:**

When you connect Google Calendar or other services, Fireflies can access and store "any content that you have provided to and stored in your Third-Party Account" - including your contact lists.

### 2. The fine print that should worry you

**They're not responsible if their AI messes up:** Their terms explicitly say that while they use AI to process your conversations, "Fireflies is not liable for any loss or harm resulting from the user's use of AI." If something goes wrong with how they handle your data, you're on your own.

**Your data becomes theirs forever:** Fireflies keeps "all rights to aggregated and anonymous data derived from your use of the Service" with no expiration date. Even if they can't identify you personally, they own insights from your conversations permanently.

**They share your data widely:** Your information gets shared with their business partners, service providers, any company that might buy Fireflies in the future, or government authorities if they think it's necessary. Pretty much anyone they deem relevant to their business.

**You're legally responsible for everything:** Here's the kicker - their terms say "You are responsible for compliance with all recording laws." If you accidentally record someone without consent, that's your legal problem, not theirs.

This becomes especially problematic when users can't actually control when Fireflies records (more on that nightmare later) - you're still legally liable even if their bot shows up uninvited.

### 3. Their liability? Basically nothing

Even if Fireflies completely screws up and causes major damage, their maximum liability is capped at either what you paid them in the last six months or $100 - whichever is less.

Think about that. Your confidential business meeting gets leaked, costs you a major client, and Fireflies owes you... maybe $100.

## Why privacy concerns are users facing with Fireflies AI?

The privacy policy issues aren't just theoretical. Real users are reporting some pretty concerning problems:

### 1. It won't go away

<Image src="/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/fireflies-2.webp" alt="Fireflies won't go away" />

Source: [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/1gw2xpk/how_to_uninvite_fireflies_from_my_meetings/)

Multiple people report that Fireflies keeps showing up in their meetings even after they:

- Deactivated their accounts
- Tried to uninstall it
- Asked their IT department for help
- Explicitly requested it to stop recording

One user described it perfectly: "Trying to shut it up/switch it off is like trying to remove a deer tick from your leg - messy and painful."

### 2. It shares transcripts with people who never signed up

<Image src="/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/fireflies-3.webp" alt="Fireflies shares transcripts without permission" />

Source: [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1dznmxo/fireflies_is_a_nightmare/)

Users report that Fireflies automatically sends meeting summaries to everyone on the calendar invite - including:

- People who never consented to being recorded
- External clients and partners
- Former employees who still have access to recurring meetings
- Anyone who happened to be invited but didn't even attend

### 3. It installs itself without permission

<Image src="/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/fireflies-4.webp" alt="Fireflies installs itself without permission" />

Source: [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1dznmxo/fireflies_is_a_nightmare/)

Several users report that just by joining a meeting where someone else used Fireflies, the software somehow installed itself on their computers and started recording their future meetings without their knowledge.

## Should I trust Fireflies with sensitive information?

It depends on what you're discussing.

**Definitely avoid Fireflies for:**
- Healthcare discussions with patient information
- Legal meetings requiring attorney-client privilege
- Financial services conversations with client data
- Any government or defense-related discussions
- International calls with people protected by GDPR
- Client consultations involving confidential business information

**Use extreme caution for:**
- Internal team meetings with sensitive company information
- Job interviews or HR discussions
- Sales calls with prospect data
- Executive or board-level conversations

**Use for:**
- Public webinars or presentations
- Non-confidential training sessions
- Casual team social meetings

But even then, remember that everyone in the meeting needs to consent to being recorded, and you're legally responsible if they don't.

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## Is there a safer Fireflies alternative?

If you need AI-powered meeting transcription but don't want to hand over your conversations to a cloud service, there's a better way.

### Meet Hyprnote: Privacy-first meeting intelligence

<Image src="/api/images/blog/is-fireflies-ai-safe/fireflies-5.webp" alt="Hyprnote" />

Hyprnote is what Fireflies should have been - an AI notepad that actually respects your privacy.

Here's the key difference: Hyprnote is the only truly [local-first AI notetaker](/product/local-ai). While Fireflies sends everything to the cloud, Hyprnote processes your conversations completely on your Mac using on-device AI models. Not a single byte of your conversation data ever leaves your computer.

Check out our [Fireflies AI Alternatives](/blog/fireflies-ai-alternatives) article for a detailed Hyprnote vs Fireflies review.

### How Hyprnote keeps you safe:

**1. Complete local processing:**
- Uses on-device AI models for transcription (Whisper series)
- Custom HyperLLM-V1 model for summaries (just 1.1GB)
- No cloud dependency for core functions
- Your conversations literally never leave your machine

**2. Universal compatibility without bots:**
- Works with any meeting platform (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.)
- No bot joining your meetings
- Records both your microphone and system audio directly
- Perfect for in-person meetings too

**3. You control your data:**
- Export to Markdown, PDF, or rich text
- Integrate with tools you already use (Obsidian, Attio)
- Connect to any AI provider you choose (OpenAI, Mistral, custom endpoints)
- No vendor lock-in

**4. Built for compliance:**
- Meets HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, and other privacy requirements
- Perfect for healthcare, legal, and financial professionals
- No third-party data processors involved
- Complete audit trail stays local

**5. Enterprise-ready:**
- On-premises deployment options
- SSO integration and user management
- Custom branding available
- Consent management built-in

### What Hyprnote collects (for full transparency):

Unlike Fireflies' extensive data harvesting, Hyprnote collects minimal, anonymous usage data that you can completely opt out of:

- **Optional analytics:** Anonymous session IDs and feature usage patterns (via PostHog) - disable in Settings
- **Optional crash reports:** Error traces to fix bugs (via Sentry) - disable in Settings
- **Website interactions:** If you use live chat or submit feedback on their website
- **Payment info:** Only for paid users, processed securely through Stripe

### What Hyprnote never collects:

- Your recordings, transcripts, or notes
- Meeting participant information
- Your conversations or meeting content
- Your personal files or documents

[Check Hyprnote's Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy)

## Final Verdict: Is Fireflies AI Safe?

Fireflies AI might seem convenient, but convenience comes at a steep privacy cost. Between their extensive data collection, broad sharing permissions, minimal liability, and documented issues with user control, it's just not worth the risk for most business conversations.

If you need AI-powered meeting assistance, choose a solution that keeps your data where it belongs, with you. Hyprnote proves you don't have to sacrifice privacy for functionality.

Your conversations are valuable. Don't give them away for free.

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